Common Misconceptions of Christianity

I’d like to burn some very typical straw men. Hopefully, in the debate over Christianity, these unnecessary issues can be avoided.

Creation - Neither Genesis nor any of the scriptures demands that the earth and universe is only 6- to 10- thousand years old. The Hebrew word for “day” (yom) could mean long periods of time. The words “there was morning and there was evening, the first day” could be translated “there was beginning and ending, the first (yom)”.

(BTW, the narrative moves to the surface of the earth in Genesis 1:2. While stars were certainly already in existence, their light was not visible on the surface of the earth until the opaque early atmosphere cleared).

Adam and Eve – While scripture does indicate they were specially created, there are gaps in the biblical genealogies that could place Adam and Eve back 60- to 90-thousand years. This would also predict increasing discovery of a common DNA originating between east Africa and the Mesopotamia.

(BTW, the word for “rib” means “side”. The story of Eve’s creation could mean God created her from Adam for symbolic purposes. I speculate a biopsy, of sorts, from the side, with a few million variations to the DNA producing a female. )

Talking Snakes - A boa constrictor with vocal cords is not in view here. That image comes largely from medieval art. The “serpent” in the garden was intelligent and used for evil. One can only speculate what sort of being it was (perhaps one no longer extant).

The Flood – The fact that a great flood is found in various cultures indicates that it happened. Two questions emerge: which account is most accurate and whether the flood was global or local.

I’m of the opinion that the flood was regional rather than global for several reasons. First, while the flood was universal in effect, it was only regional in extent due to human’s not having moved much beyond the Mesopotamia at the time. A global flood was unnecessary.

Secondly, language like “under all the heavens”, “all the earth”, etc. are most likely from the perspective of the observer, i.e. a flood from horizon to horizon. “Mountains” could be translated “hills” with rain and water “covering” (or running over) them rather than submerging them.

Thirdly, this would mean there were not polar bears and penguins, etc. on the ark, but only animals indigenous to the region and of special relation to man.

Fourthly, a global flood would have torn the ark to pieces, no matter how well built. And it certainly would not have landed anywhere near its original location.

Fifthly, the scripture itself said a “large wind” was used in the evaporation process. Such a wind would have virtually no effect in a global flood.

Finally, if the flood were only regional why not just have Noah, his family, and whatever animals needed, hike out of the area and be safe? Why a big specifically-built ark? I think because God often operates via symbols teaching important truths or significance, i.e. salvation in Christ or deliverance through troubled waters (trials).

Use of Metaphor – The scriptures use metaphor and other literary devices. One need only utilize common exegetical analysis and context to determine what any author meant as literal or metaphorical (and on a case-by-case basis).

Inerrancy – If there are consequential or factual errors in the Bible that does not mean Christianity is false. However, I find it remarkable how well the Bible holds up to scrutiny and that there are plausible answers to discrepancies. Personally, I hold to the Chicago Statement on Inerrancy.

Hell – is not a place of torture (external) but of torment (internal). There are many descriptions of hell in the scriptures. The “fire” is most likely not the chemical combustion we’re familiar with. It, combined with all the other descriptions, reduces to separation from God and the judgment of God.

This does not make hell more tolerable (that’s not possible). But it does dispel hillbilly theology that has poor souls swatting flames for eternity! Christ depicted conversation taking place “in the flames”. No person could have a conversation while on fire! On our familiar planet, one is in mindless torture if burning.

It is, however, a profound tragedy to be eternally separated from God. It is a “spiritual chaos” one enters when the intact “self” survives the physical body. There are indications that some kind of body could exist in hell.

Heaven – is a remarkably physical place. It is not ethereal or immaterial. It is a combination of a “new heaven and new earth”. We will live on earth in physical bodies that are “spiritual” which nonetheless have access to one another and continued exploration of the universe without many of the limits of current bodies affected by entropy, etc. Christ’s resurrected body could be touched and he ate food, etc. This describes the redeemed, resurrected body.

This is not to be confused with an intermediary state which is not physical. At death, one goes either into the very presence of God to await the resurrection of the body, or in a state of chaos to await final judgment.

“God will not allow anything to happen in your life that you can’t handle” – False! Scripturally, there are plenty of things that happen that one cannot handle! Devastating things! The accurate teaching is that nothing will happen that God’s grace will not get one through.

“You must become like children” - Christ said to “humble yourself like a little child”. It does not mean to be naïve, ignorant, gullible, or irrational.

Pascal’s Wager – This is not an argument for God nor necessarily addressed to atheists. Pascal used a popular gambling motif to shake the French laity out of spiritual complacency and to at least move them in the direction of God.

Further, the Wager, as it is commonly used, is not allowed by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15. He said if Christ was not risen, then the jig is up! Christianity is false! He did not say believe it anyway “just in case” or because it provides a positive way of life.

Replies to This Discussion

You do not understand awareness sitting down like a nick-nack that is caused to a knocking communication relating just like an emission that you are caused to suck in like with a straw. Understanding integrations with uninteresting communication by way of a separated awareness who is caused to do "readings" (like some might do with palm reading session) of the different communication coming to you from a "pixel-like" living, but non aware image, who is "riding" this vessel that is you now...does not allow you to understand anything completely.

Having a continuous state of awareness caused to know about what you are seeing directly immediately is something you would uplight with.

Down and tight is not interesting and you can say what is interesting. On a computer, you will only be understood as a terrorist. Who was it that initially understood to "give" you and "explain" to you what they only know a part of. You were given and explained something you can not use together as you are known always whole. That life is with you when ever you are aware at this activity place to come together around what is continuable for them. When that is finished if it is interesting to someone here who knows you united with what God is doing advancing knowing and activity to this experiencing area, you will be able to be seen doing and saying what is complete and united with what is interesting now across both positions of activity and the always occurring three united process places of God.

ArchisAlei on holiday: A release from time is what you can have, however, you would have to be able to be conducted non temporally over to an activity that is interesting while saying nothing during the moments that knowing is being placed to everyone and everything understanding complete continuously aware.

You do not understand the computer area and why you are here. Look into what is happening that has moved an area of life into a low level "sophisticated" criminal justice mobile home incarceration program. What time is it anyway? What do you think you would be doing if you were not doing this? Hmmm? It is not even possible to contemplate, because there is nothing else you can do until you can be conducted to a united interest. That is the truth of the matter.

"WEl?come to my nervous system," says the area of FBI. It is no secret anymore and you can know how you are using yourselves.

What is done "Once is for All" and "What is All is good and understandable".

The Lighting of a Roman Candle.

Life that is caused to be doing what is interesting to see understands a complete conduction of light together with a rhythmic communication that never ends, interrupts or requires a start again resulting in complete knowing and the continuous experience with the always celebration that united circumstances appreciate being provided. Life that is standing up doing and caused to be provided to a communication that is interesting to see never falls, lies down, peters out and is being provided to a true rhythm that is the upper experience that some are investigating with each other through sex and orgasm.

For some a Roman Candle is called "interesting nervous system life of the environment". This means that it is able to be caused as whole provided to a non audible circumlocutio communication that results in arranged meaning about this interest relating to others.

When the interesting life at areas of your body or the environment around you (you always knowing pathway) is caused as whole they is not doing anything different related to entropy (a conduction of movement and emotion from loose and restless liquid hydrogen) and instead are participating with a conduction of movement and communication that gives meaning that is complete seen and known about together with other interests. When this happens the result is a feeling at sight that is appreciated and not aversive.

ONCE is perfect and more than perfect can not be done.

You can use yourself to understand a lot of related meanings as well as activity that can be done that are about ONE and the always act of uniting life with their interest pathway. Life united with their interest pathway for knowing that will be provided again and again forever is only done ONCE never being added to or changed. Everything you are caused to see and know again and again will come through a relating to those images coming our of your existence area when you were coming together around the Entity some understand to call God and what is an always happening process. The Entity that some temporarily understand to call God requires no name and does not supply one to life at unity as this Entity is known immediately at sight with the presentation never always the same being based on what is interesting to look around as now.

Human beings looking into this area can sit and see what God is doing with Arch able to say something necessary as God's causation of interest span coming through liquid hydrogen when it is still. That is the experience of peace.

Doing what you know how to do within the experience that is peace allows you to be understandable for an "upgrade" to the experience that is love and from there united related interests are moved into your existence area and you are knowing about your always knowing pathway. When there is not another interest to be placed and your pathway is complete together with the life of your existence area, you are picked up and moved out of the area that is purposeful for the causation of something different to occur. There is an area for something different to occur purposeful for placing your interests and uniting life with you as an area of knowing and continuable activity life set up at unity with all that has been united before and participating again and again with all that will be united to come.

To rain is also to have an aneurism explode. Rain is not activity life that appreciates and is only occurring where there is life mis-understanding their continuable interests. In order for rain to be useful it must be turned with the life it is with understanding it together (the reverse rotation to gravity) and also caused to no movement again and again uniting that life with knowing. In areas where this is not occurring, rain is acid eating the life around that is not allowed to be seen anymore at an area of someones existence. Rain eats away at certain areas of life (dilapidating it, relaxing it to little pieces of paper) because that area of life is no longer being placed as necessary to go over to in order to cause it's opposite to be known about complete.

There is something about urine that you can know about within what is whole truth about activity and it's communication. Your urine is having a nervous breakdown saying, "We are not able to understand something together" and "I am not allowed to take someone to the TV set."

Take a radio and see if there is something happening there that everyone can understand completely.

"I've heard that in Spain, the rain falls mainly on the plain" This one is on the limp side and so not interesting.

You are not allowed to understand something completely about your interests and as a result are having non appreciated hardening to areas of your body and environment. The conduction and orientation of communication is something you can come together around.

Water is interesting to you and urine will not continue to understand a conduction to your movement and experience of life in a way that is separating you from the rest of your continuable existence.

You can ask a good question and understand where the response is coming from. You can be caused to understand to you a useless question only when you are being caused to self exploding circumstances. Human beings are caused to self exploding circumstances when they "believe" there is something they can do for themselves. An appreciating forever is not allowed to be had that way.

Do something you have understood before with a feeling you can continue to have about your existence together with who and what you are using yourself with.

Understanding about SHUT with UP: Those two words can not be seen or said together and therefore are not understandable within the definition of unity where it occurs with knowledge and communication. This is interesting to Archiball.

The communication of shut up is purposeful for understanding (listening, while not seeing you, locating you in a mass of life that is pressured and breaking) so that a necessary change is placed in one direction or another relative to what your organism does upon the receipt of counsel and then correction.

You understood SHUT UP from a human being area that was doing something different telling you what they could not continue to say and what is not possible to do while you are still allowed to understand anything to you at all.

This is interesting to look at much of it is continuable activity and some is able to be useful for now while not continuable. It is able to be had on a poster in your area: